Quick Read Americans owe $1.23T in credit card debt at 22.83% APR while the Fed rate sits at 3.72%. Issuers maintain a constant 15-18 point markup over prime. Fed cuts don’t reduce consumer borrowing costs. A $5,000 balance accumulates over $3 daily in interest. Most minimum payments go to interest rather than principal. Investors rethink ‘hands off’ investing and decide to start making real money Americans collectively owe $1.233 trillion in credit card debt, with nearly half of all cardholders ...

Key Points When 2025 began, investors were expecting the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates just once. I predicted the Fed would be more aggressive, and it was. For 2026, I’m predicting more rate cuts than expected once again plus significant movement in long-term rates. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › As 2025 got under way, there were muted expectations regarding Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. In fact, in early January, the CME FedWatch tool showed that the me ...

Deposit account rates are on the decline. The good news: You can lock in a competitive return on a certificate of deposit (CD) today and preserve your earning power. In fact, the best CDs still pay rates above 4%. Read on for a snapshot of CD rates today and where to find the best offers. Where are the best CD rates today? CDs today typically offer rates significantly higher than traditional savings accounts. Currently, the best short-term CDs (six to 12 months) generally offer rates around 4% to 4.5% AP ...

Precious metals climbed to fresh record highs, with silver breaking above $90 an ounce on softer-than-expected U.S. inflation data and rising geopolitical risks. In early trading, New York gold futures rose 0.9% to $4,642.60 a troy ounce after reaching a record of $4,647.60.Silver futures soared 4.2% to $90.02 an ounce, having hit a high of $91.37 earlier in the session. Traders' expectations for the Federal Reserve to cut rates by midyear got a boost from the latest CPI reading, benefiting nonyielding asse ...

Core Insights - Mortgage rates for 30-year fixed mortgages have decreased to 6.23%, the lowest level since early October 2024, providing relief for homebuyers after a year of elevated rates [2][3] - The decline in mortgage rates follows a period where rates exceeded 7%, indicating a gradual pullback in borrowing costs [3] Market Implications - The current mortgage rate environment presents a dilemma for buyers: whether to lock in the current rates or wait for potentially better rates, which can be unpredictable [4][10] - Economic factors influencing mortgage rates include inflation data, investor expectations, and bond market movements, rather than solely Federal Reserve rate cuts [7][8] Buyer Considerations - Experts recommend that buyers focus on personal financial readiness rather than attempting to time the market for the lowest rates [11] - Locking in a mortgage rate now does not preclude future refinancing opportunities if rates decrease further [13]

Core Insights - Money market funds attracted $935 billion in new assets in the previous year, exceeding expectations and demonstrating resilience against anticipated outflows due to Federal Reserve rate cuts [1] - Continued growth in money market funds is projected, with an additional $500 billion in inflows expected by the end of 2026, pushing total assets beyond $8.6 trillion [1] Market Trends - Money market funds are expected to remain essential for financial advisors, even if interest rates decline, serving various purposes such as emergency reserves and volatility buffers [2] - The popularity of money market funds surged as the Federal Reserve began raising rates in 2022, peaking in mid-2023 with rates between 5.25% and 5.5% [3] - Current federal funds rates are between 3.5% and 3.75%, maintaining the attractiveness of money market funds for yield-seeking investors [3] Yield Comparisons - As of the latest data, the 7-day yields for the Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund and the Fidelity Government Money Market Fund were 3.69% and 3.43%, respectively, while the Crane 100 Money Fund Index stood at 3.58% [3] - Yields on money market funds remain competitive compared to traditional bank deposit products, which are less attractive [4] Investor Composition - Retail investors accounted for 34% of total money market inflows, while institutional investors represented 64% [5] - Money market fund yields have exceeded 3% only twice in the last two decades, with a significant portion of that time yielding effectively zero due to the Federal Reserve's lower bound rates [5]

Core Viewpoint - Wall Street analysts are optimistic about the S&P 500's performance in 2026, but historical trends suggest that these forecasts may be overly optimistic and could lead to significant market corrections [4][11][21] Market Performance - Major stock indexes, including the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite, have seen substantial gains in 2025, with increases of 14%, 17%, and 21% respectively [2] - The S&P 500 is expected to rise further in 2026, with predictions ranging from a conservative estimate of 7,100 (3% increase) to a more optimistic target of 8,100 (18% increase) [7][8] Historical Context - The S&P 500 has historically risen in approximately 70% of all years since 1926, with no rolling 20-year period showing a negative total return [7] - The current Shiller Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio for the S&P 500 is at 40.40, significantly above the historical average of 17.3, indicating a potentially overvalued market [14][15] Economic Indicators - The Federal Reserve's recent rate cuts have led to increased borrowing, which may stimulate hiring and corporate innovation, contributing to market optimism [9] - However, historical data shows that high valuations often precede significant market downturns, as seen in previous bear markets [16][20] Technological Trends - The rise of artificial intelligence and quantum computing presents significant long-term opportunities, but these technologies are still in early stages and may take time to mature [10][19] - Historical patterns indicate that while technological innovations can drive growth, they often require years for businesses to fully optimize and capitalize on [18][19]

Core Insights - The U.S. housing market is facing significant challenges, and recent Federal Reserve rate cuts are unlikely to improve affordability [2] - A structural housing shortage is identified as a key issue in the U.S. housing market, with a need for more housing units [3] - The Federal Reserve's previous purchases of mortgage-backed securities during the pandemic may have contributed to overheating the housing market, though the extent is uncertain [3] Economic Context - The U.S. labor market has softened, with the latest unemployment rate at 4.4%, which is above the cycle low of 3.4% recorded in April 2023 [4] - The Federal Reserve is transitioning from a restrictive to a neutral policy stance, indicated by several cuts to short-term rates [4] - Long-term yields and mortgage rates have decreased from their cycle highs over the past year [4]

Group 1 - Gold prices are set for a weekly gain following a quarter-point interest-rate cut by the Federal Reserve, with futures rising 0.2% to $4,322.20 per troy ounce and up 1.9% for the week [1] - Silver futures have reached a record high of $64 per ounce, driven by speculative momentum related to supply deficits [1] Group 2 - Analysts from Sucden Financial indicate that gold's price movements are closely tied to the broader policy outlook and real yields, suggesting that gold will serve as a more stable indicator of macroeconomic sentiment [2] - The potential for gold prices to rise further may be limited unless there is a significant weakening of the dollar [2]

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